Email Communications

Op12.02-4 Email Communications

Definitions

Email communications: A method of exchanging messages between people using electronic devices. Email communications typically cross computer networks, primarily the Internet.

Email spam: Unsolicited message sent to more than 250 recipients that meets any of the following criteria:

  • Irrelevant or inappropriate to the majority of recipients.
  • Does not pertain to university business.

Mass email: message sent to an entire group of one or more of the following: faculty, staff, students, emeritus and/or alumni.

Targeted email: message directed to specific people based on a variety of attributes, including but not limited to, members of groups, role at the university, declared major, course participant, etc.

Policy statement

Email is an official means of communication for Missouri State University. Unless law, contract, or other university policy prohibits email communication or requires another form of communication, Missouri State University may send email communications to faculty, staff, students and others within the university community to their Missouri State University email address. It is expected these emails will be read by recipients within a reasonable amount of time, as some email communications may be time-sensitive. All individuals assigned a Missouri State University email account are expected to use and maintain their email account.

Archiving

For records management purposes, the university will take technical measures to ensure emails sent or received by certain key decision-makers are preserved, including:

  • Officers of the university;
  • University employees delegated contracting authority to commit university resources of $25,000 or greater; and
  • Other individuals designated by the president, general counsel, director of internal audit and risk management, and/or the chief information officer.
  • Additionally, at any time, emails sent or received by any member of the campus community may be preserved for purposes of investigation, liability analysis, litigation, and/or other legal analysis at the discretion of the general counsel.

Email spam

Use of the university’s network and associated resources to distribute email spam is prohibited.

Mass email

  • Mass emails may be sent by the office of the president, office of the provost, vice president for student affairs, Vice President for Administration and Finance, CIO, CFO, computer services, strategic communication, web strategy and development or university safety.
  • Mass emails must be approved by the president, office of the provost, vice president for student affairs, Vice President for Administration and Finance, CIO, CFO, vice president for marketing and communications or the director of university safety.
  • The vice president for marketing and communications sets the guidelines and procedures for mass emails.

Targeted email

  • Each officer of the university shall develop a process for approving targeted emails within his/her unit that ensures appropriate use and content.
  • The dean of a college is authorized to send and approve targeted emails to students who are majoring in programs offered by the college or who are enrolled in courses offered by departments in that college.
  • Academic department heads are authorized to send and approve targeted emails to students who are majoring in programs offered by that department or who are enrolled in courses offered by the department.
  • If a department/unit wishes to send an announcement to faculty (or a subset of faculty), they must seek the approval of the office of the provost.
  • If a department/unit wishes to send an announcement to staff (or a subset of staff), they must seek the approval of the Vice President for Administration and Finance.
  • If a department/unit wishes to send an announcement to students (or a subset of students), they must seek the approval of the vice president for student affairs.
  • Colleges and departments should work with the computer services management information systems unit for creation of distribution lists that include the desired recipients.
  • The Chair of the Faculty Senate is authorized to send and approve targeted emails to faculty in order to conduct Faculty Senate business.

Violation of this policy may result in suspension of email privileges and/or other computing resources.